Page 70 of Rags to Royals

I roll my eyes. Even fifteen years ago that had all sounded strange to me, but it had seemed true. The people in my father’s congregation didn’t hesitate to give him money out of their own pockets and to constantly sell my father’s books, programs, and classes to others.

“I suppose there’s something to that,” Ruby muses.

“What?” I look at her again, my brows pinching. “Seriously?”

“Well, we pay our politicians—from mayors all the way up to President—to serve in those positions to do the work we need them to do.” She shrugs. “I suppose the king having money does make people feel more secure about him being able to do the work they need him to do for them?”

“Oh my God, that sounds so weird,” I say. I take a breath. “Okay, but what about Cian then? He’s notdoingany work for the people. Why does he get to have all this money?”

“I…” Ruby trailed off. “I know that he helps Fiona with her animal park.”

“Okay.” I knew that too. “But the animal park is supported by tickets sales and grants and donations.”

“Right. Mostly anyway.” Ruby nudges me. “You should give him a job at the shop after the teaching gig.”

Yeah, he’s also got a teaching gig that he seems completely comfortable taking on.

“I don’t even have enough business at the shop to keepmeemployed,” I remind her. Brian had the building and all the equipment paid off and left me enough money to pay the bills for a few months in the beginning. That was the only way I’d kept the doors open. That and the fact that we had no rent or a mortgage to worry about because he’d also paid the house off and had money in a trust for the property taxes and any big maintenance issues like a roof or a new water heater if we ever needed them.

“Besides,” I say. “How would we explain the professor suddenly becoming a mechanic?” We can’t forget the cover story here. The cover story that will really only stand up for the next eighteen days. Atmost.

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” Ruby agrees.

We’re quiet for a moment. Then I blurt out, “We had sex.”

Ruby gives a little squeak. “What? You mean since he’s beenhere?”

“Yeah. Tonight. Just now. On the patio.”

“What?” She laughs. “Good for you. That’s…not what I expected to hear.”

I cover my face. “I know. I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m leading him on.”

Ruby tugs one of my hands down. “What are you talking about? Did you tell him you love him or something to get his pants off?”

I give a soft huff of laughter. “No. I…God, I didn’t have to really do anything.” A hot shiver goes through me. “He was very willing to do whatever I asked.”

Ruby sighs. “Fuck, that’s nice. And sexy.”

I nod. “It was. But it was totally me instigating it and I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Was it good?”

Good wasn’t even close to the right descriptor. “Yes. It was…amazing.” This is Ruby. Ruby knows everything about me. I can be honest with her. “I can be different with him. I can be more open and—” I swallow. “Dirtier. I have this side I didn’t even know about until New Orleans, and he brings it out of me. Still.”

Ruby gives a long sigh and then says, “God, I’m jealous.”

“You and Henry aren’t?—”

She laughs before I even finish the question. “Oh, weare. Very much so. He’s the best I’ve ever had.God, it’s so good. That makes all of this being-together-but-not-being-together even harder. I’m jealous that you can just be with Cian whenever.”

“But I can’t,” I insist. “He thinks he’s in love with me. I’m trying to prove that this can’t work out and send him away at the end of this ready to marry someone else.”

My stomach tightens at that thought. But that isnotfair, and I have to stop thinking of him being with someone else as a bad thing. That’s how this has to end.

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